Digital Commons Network^™

Belonging At A Historically White Institution: Understanding The Men Of Color Experience, Riley Cain Sisk, Tara J. Hefner, Kelsie N. Potter, Nicholas A. Williams

Doctor of Education Capstones

Sense of belonging is a vital need that supports an individual’s journey of becoming. Studies have shown the positive impact sense of belonging can have on education outcomes, especially for underrepresented communities. Consulting with the Assessment Office in the Division of Student Affairs (The DSA Assessment Office) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the research team sought to understand how men of color make sense of belonging at historically white institutions (HWIs) such as VCU. This qualitative, instrumental case study utilized a subjectivist approach grounded in Strayhorn’s (2019) definition of ‘sense of belonging’ paired with Baxter Magolda’s (2014) theories of self-authorship. …

Examining The Efficacy Of Unitive Justice Education In The Secondary School Setting, Chris C. Booz, La Toya K. Draper, Lottie M. Spurlock

Doctor of Education Capstones

This research study examined the efficacy of the Unitive Justice Education (UJEd) program on school-wide practices in Hopewell City Public Schools (HCPS). The UJEd program developed by the Alliance for Unitive Justice (AUJ) serves as a unifying alternative to conventional disciplinary approaches. An abundance of research shows exclusionary punitive systems have created inequitable experiences for students, particularly children from historically marginalized groups (Alexander, 2020; Kendi, 2019; Morris, 2018). Through a critical theory lens (Freire, 2017) coupled with a mixed methods approach, the researchers analyzed the HCPS discipline data and staff perceptions. Implementing the UJEd program in HCPS secondary schools holds …

Opioid System's Potential Involvement In Ketamine's Cognitive And Antidepressant-Like Effects In Rats, Fan Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Depression stands as one of the most pervasive mental health challenges worldwide, including the United States. Conventional antidepressants typically display a delayed onset of therapeutic action (4-8 weeks) and lack efficacy in a substantial portion of patients (over 40% of depressed patients are treatment-resistant). The dissociative anesthetic ketamine, which is a glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, has emerged as a promising novel treatment due to its rapid and prolonged antidepressant effects, and it is especially beneficial for treatment-resistant depression. Nevertheless, the precise neurochemical mechanisms underlying ketamine’s antidepressant properties remain elusive, hampering the development of safer and more efficacious treatments. The present …

Reimagining On-Campus Student Employment As A Foundation For Career Readiness: Student Employment In Virginia Commonwealth University’S Division Of Student Affairs, Jaedda Hall, Mary Lee Magee, Sean D. Mays, Kimberly C. Young

Doctor of Education Capstones

Many undergraduate students participate in on-campus employment while pursuing their academic programs. Increasingly, institutions of higher education recognize student employment not only as a resource to address institutional workforce needs or students’ pressing financial needs, but also to promote students’ overall learning, development, and success. To better understand on-campus undergraduate student employment in the context of Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) Division of Student Affairs (DSA), this descriptive study employed a mixed-methods approach using surveys, interviews, focus groups, secondary data analysis, and artifact analysis. These methods were applied to explore the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including undergraduate student employees, supervisors of …

Safe Schools: A Descriptive Study Examining How To Prevent Peer-To-Peer Sexual Misconduct In K-12 Schools, Crystal R. Bell, Kristine Herakovich-Curtis, Elizabeth Terrier, Leah Wiedenhoft

Doctor of Education Capstones

In response to a problem of practice presented by the non-profit Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS), this study examines what training and resources K-12 Title IX Coordinators and school administrators need to prevent and effectively address peer-to-peer sexual harassment and assault. Grounded in Improvement Science, we partnered with SSAIS to address a real-world dilemma. Through the theoretical lens of the Social-Ecological Framework, a descriptive study was conducted using quantitative and qualitative methodologies to study changes needed to reduce peer-to-peer sexual misconduct in schools. Data were collected through focus group interviews and a Nearpod questionnaire with a national sample. Relying …

A Mixed Methods Program Evaluation Of Chronic Absenteeism Interventions At Caroline High School, Amanda M. Harper, Dana L.G. Chen, Melissa A. Bugaj, William J. Pettus, Patrick H. Simmons

Doctor of Education Capstones

This mixed methods program evaluation examines interventions targeting chronic absenteeism at Caroline High School, where being absent for 10% or more of the school year impacts student success. Combining student surveys, parent interviews, and a staff focus group, the study identifies absenteeism trends and evaluates interventions related to student attendance attitudes and behaviors. Findings indicate these interventions have significantly reduced chronic absenteeism, with emphasis on positive reinforcements. The research illustrates absenteeism's complexities, which then in turn require diverse strategies that address both individual student and systemic factors. This Capstone offers insights and recommendations for tackling chronic absenteeism and aims to …

Bottling The “Secret Sauce”: Capturing The Heart Of The East End At Peter Paul Development Center, Melissa E. Abban, Melissa Buckley, Marie Garrenton, Latonja Y. Wright

Doctor of Education Capstones

Peter Paul Development Center (Peter Paul) submitted a Request for Assistance (RFA) to obtain support from a Virginia Commonwealth University Doctorate of Educational Leadership (EdD) Capstone team with documenting programming and principles and evaluating them consistently. To address this request, the team analyzed the context and problem of practice through document review, empathy interviews, partner discussions and site visits. The literature review helped the team design and conduct research, fieldwork, and data analysis to support Peter Paul in standardizing procedures and programs, fostering a culture of institutional knowledge, and effectively communicating impact to stakeholders. The team used a Convergent Parallel …

Health-Based Urban Design And Planning Interventions; Maximizing Harmony, Vitality, And Wellness In Hopewell, Virginia, Suzanne K. Yeats

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

Urban planners as practitioners work to create a more progressive future while simultaneously redressing the past. This tension is found in many cities, including the City of Hopewell, Virginia where city planners, managers, economic developers work passionately for positive change. In Hopewell, there has been almost no population growth since 1970 and existing health outcomes are alarming. In every determinant of health category (medical, psychological, or social), this city falls below the state and national average. This health-based urban design and planning intervention capstone challenges the status quo by flipping the paradigm and placing the health of all residents first …

Enhancing Public Safety At Virginia Commonwealth University, Rigby Bendele, Les Harrison, Oswaldo Moreno, Chernoh Wurie, Carolina Yaber

GEHLI - 2026 VCUL Team Project Publications

The authors of this report will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of safety and security measures on both Virginia Commonwealth University campuses (VCU) in comparison to those of similar urban research institutions (N=10). This evaluation will provide campus leaders with recommendations for proactive strategies, community partnerships, and ongoing evaluation through which VCU can increase both actual and perceived safety for members of VCU and neighboring communities.

Life After Discharge: Predicting Longitudinal Trajectories Of Community Integration And Global Functioning In Black Individual With Traumatic Brain Injury, Chimdindu Ohayagha

Theses and Dissertations

The onset of traumatic brain injury (TBI) begins a chronic health pathway that contributes to various impairments and comorbidities across the lifespan. Common consequences of TBI include mental health issues, cognitive impairments, and reduced functional independence, all of which impact how an individual integrates into their community. Community integration is a primary goal for rehabilitation after TBI. Studies show that racially/ethnically minoritized individuals have a higher incidence of TBI, higher rates of mortality, and report poorer functional and community integration outcomes. Limited studies have explored longitudinal outcomes of community integration in a Black-only sample of individuals with TBI. Additionally, no …

The Patient Experience Of Language Discordance And Interpreter Services In The Emergency Department, Keri L. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Clear communication is critical to the interaction of a patient and medical provider. For non-English speaking patients, language discordance, described as the lack of proficiency in a shared language, with the medical team results in a poor patient experience and poor patient outcomes. The predominant solution to language discordance is the use of interpreter services, however these services are underused in the emergency department (ED). Studies examining underuse of interpreter services have primarily focused on the clinician and little is known about the patient’s influence on the use of interpreter services.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Spanish-speaking …

Covid-19 Vaccine And Infection And The Relationship To Lichen Planus Flare-Ups: A Self-Reported Survey Study, Sara Kube

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine if there is an increased occurrence of oral lichen planus flare-ups after COVID-19 vaccination or infection.

Methods: An 11-item questionnaire was dispersed to patients with a diagnosis of oral lichen planus. The survey contained questions regarding the patient’s history of COVID-19 vaccination and infection as it relates subjective oral lichen planus flare-ups (i.e. oral redness, oral ulcerations, and/or oral pain/discomfort).

Results: Self-reported flares were significantly associated with whether or not vaccine side effects were also reported (p-value=0.0053). For those who reported experiencing side effects (tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, nausea), …

The Effect Of Local Anesthesia When Used In Dental Restorative Cases Under General Anesthesia On Control Of Postoperative Comfort, Elizabeth S. Kleefisch Dds

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose:

To determine the effect of local anesthesia on postoperative comfort in patients undergoing dental care under general anesthesia.

Methods:

This study was modeled as a double-blinded randomized control trial. Patients included healthy children under the age of 6 years scheduled for restorative dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA). Patient behavior was evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively using the Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) or other pain score and postoperatively using the Parent’s Postoperative Pain Measure (PPPM). Intraoperatively, participants followed a standardized general anesthesia protocol and were given either local anesthetic (LA) infiltration using 2% Lidocaine 1:100,000 Epinephrine by …

The Influence Of Flavor On The Abuse Liability Of A Heated Tobacco Product And Its Feasibility As A Menthol Cigarette Substitute, Augustus White

Theses and Dissertations

Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) purport to expose people that use cigarettes to fewer of the harmful or potentially harmful constituents of tobacco while still delivering reinforcing amounts of nicotine (Auer, Concha-Lozano et al., 2017). An exemplar of the HTP class, IQOS, and its three varieties of “HeatSticks” have been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as “Modified Risk Tobacco Products” (MRTP). However, as the FDA is planning to ban menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes, questions remain regarding whether characterizing flavors should be permitted in HTPs (FDA, 2022e). New evidence regarding HTP abuse liability (i.e., the likelihood …

The Role Of Sleep And Social-Ecological Supports In The Association Between Racial Discrimination And Cardiometabolic Risk In Black Youth, Jelaina R. Shipman-Lacewell

Theses and Dissertations

Black youth are at an increased risk for poor short and long-term cardiometabolic health, including obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Racial discrimination and poor sleep are theorized as key factors contributing to cardiometabolic health. While adult studies support sleep as a pathway through which discrimination is associated with health, there is a critical gap in our knowledge of this pathway in youth. Socio-ecological supports may protect Black youth against stressors, including racism. However, studies of the protective nature of these factors in Black youth have primarily focused on psychological and behavioral outcomes. Thus, the current study built upon previous …

Living The American Dream? College Experiences Of Undocumented Students In An Era Of Rising Xenophobia And Political Turmoil, Sandra Y. Ting Ph.D.

Theses and Dissertations

This research study sought to deepen the understanding of the journeys of undocumented and DACAmented college students in an era of escalated xenophobia and political unrest. Three noteworthy themes emerged from the sentiments expressed by participants. The experiences they described included: 1) the turmoil of undocumented status eliciting unique and empowering demonstrations of resourcefulness, creativity, and self-advocacy, 2) motivation and stress from their respective citizenship statuses existing as two mutually dependent facets of a unified whole, 3) a community of support from other undocumented and/or DACAmented peers as a necessity for wellbeing. These critical outcomes culminate in the conditioning to …

Relations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Substance Use In Adolescents And Emerging Adults: The Moderating Role Of Exposure To Community Violence And Community Support And Community Recognition, Kiara Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Due to historical and current systemic racial inequities, African American adolescents and emerging adults living in low-income urban communities bear the burden of higher rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and exposure to community violence. Both exposure to ACEs and community violence are linked to higher levels of substance use. However, limited research exists on how exposure to community violence exacerbates the association between ACEs and higher frequencies of substance use in adolescence and emerging adulthood. There is also a need to understand how community-level protective factors may weaken the relations between ACEs and higher rates of substance use. The …

Validation Of A Screening Tool For Sleep Apnea In Children, Brandon Khor

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The aims of this study were to (1) determine the ability of a pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (POSA) questionnaire to identify high-risk patients through confirmation with an at-home sleep apnea test (HSAT) and (2) to evaluate the correlation between high-risk patients as identified by the questionnaire (PM-STOP-Bang) and an already validated POSA screening tool.

Methods: Orthodontic patients aged 12-17 who met the inclusion criteria were consecutively enrolled in the study (n=16). At the initial orthodontic appointment, the clinician filled out the PM-STOP-Bang questionnaire. Subsequently, participants were invited to complete a one-night HSAT (WatchPat, WP-Itamar-Medical, Caesarea, Israel), which recorded diagnostic …

Shinners, Alexis E. Mabry

Theses and Dissertations

Shinners is a project that aims to examine the position of women in subcultures and capture conversations of women in subcultural sports. Within feminism, sociological constructs, campy horror, and personal experience I am manifesting the physical and mental obstacles faced in the subcultural sport of Bicycle Motocross (BMX) through photography, painting, collage, video, and sculpture. I interpret images posted to social media of injuries obtained while riding BMX as forms of empowerment, bodily gore as extreme evidence of participation, performative violence, valorizing the understanding of both the physical and psychological pain of failure, and the use of failure as a …

Points Of Contact, Giancarlo Venturini

Theses and Dissertations

The work in Points of Contact arises from engaging love as it relates to distance, desire, and longing. This paper will analyze my painting practice and its evolution from the explicit to implicit. Specifically I am going to talk about my utilization of landscape painting to consider another way of expressing sexuality and queerness. I will explain how objects and landscapes are conduits for feelings that can intrinsically hold allegorical representations. This show is about searching through vast spaces to find points of connection in the natural world. I will talk about portals and the varied degrees of accessible windows …

Using Natural Language Processing To Understand The Lived Experiences Of People Identifying With Adhd: What Themes Emerge In Social Media Posts?, Gabby C. Scalzo

Theses and Dissertations

Compared to the amount of research conducted on how to identify and understand children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), there has been relatively little work done to understand the lived experiences of adults with ADHD. Increased understanding of how adults with ADHD conceptualize themselves in the context of their diagnosis would help clinical experts tailor research and treatments to better serve these communities. However, there are several barriers towards conducting high-quality qualitative research, including time- and labor-intensity. This study, informed by qualitative research traditions, used innovative data sources (i.e., social media) and analytic techniques (i.e., machine learning) to reduce these …

On The Rebound: Resilience And Subjective Cognitive Symptoms In Cancer, Giuliana V. Zarrella

Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have shown a strong connection between resilience and subjective cognitive symptoms in clinical populations. However, there is limited understanding of this relationship in cancer survivors, and no studies examine whether resilience training could alleviate subjective cognitive symptoms in these patients. This study examined the relationship between subjective cognitive function and resilience in non-CNS cancer survivors who participated in a resiliency training intervention, at baseline and from pre- to post-intervention, as well as investigated potential influences of change in subjective cognition. Adult cancer survivors (N=275) participated in the Stress Management and Resilience Training-Relaxation Response Resilience Program (SMART-3RP) …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Perceptions Of Traditional And Online Degrees: Implications For Hiring Decisions And Higher Education, Heather E. Millar

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption to educational delivery across the country opened the doors to a more extensive conversation regarding employers’ perceptions of online degrees and the institution of higher education and its societal role. This is the first study, to my knowledge, to quantitatively analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceptions of traditional vs. online degrees during the hiring process and the implications of such on the institution of higher education. This study used a cross-sectional, non-experimental, closed-ended electronic survey of human resource professionals and those with influence during the hiring process.

Results from this study indicate that …

A Critical Perspective On Supporting Parents In Facilitating Informal Steam Learning On Children's Early Literacy Development, Suzanne G. Alexandre

Theses and Dissertations

Considering that parents/caregivers and home environment play an influential role in a child’s school readiness and future academic success, this study sought to support parents in using facilitation strategies to engage their child in informal learning at home. In order to examine if access to support for parents of preschoolers influenced parents’ confidence in their ability to facilitate informal learning at home, the project used informal STEAM learning, for context. The study also examines the potential impact of informal STEAM learning on children's school readiness and early literacy skills and the intersections of parent involvement, STEAM, and school readiness through …

Exploring The Experiences Of Refugee Youth In Public Schools: An Ethical Phenomenological Inquiry, Hilary T. Stim

Theses and Dissertations

The study outlined in this dissertation focuses on the intersection between refugee youth between the ages of 13-18 and the United States public school, specifically the manner in which refugee youth experience institutionalized education. It utilizes ethical phenomenology as a means to amplify the voices of refugee students and to centralize the students' experiences, thoughts, and ideas related to education The study was framed by one research question that is addressed to the participants: “What is it like being a student in a public school?” Seven students took part in the study. Collaborative dialogues took place with the participants across …

Exploring Drivers Of Sex-Based Disparities In Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis, Stephanie K. Buxhoeveden

Theses and Dissertations

Females are three times more susceptible to relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) and males typically have more severe disease, but the molecular underpinnings of these sex-based disease disparities are unknown and represent a critical knowledge gap.Subject Population: Blood samples from a demographically homogenous group of treatment naïve males and females with relapsing-MS and healthy controls. Research Design: Cross-sectional combinatorial omics pilot study. Instruments: Whole transcriptomic analysis with messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiling using next generation sequencing (RNA-seq) and micro-RNA (miRNA) expression using NanoString technology. Aim 1) Identify and compare the actively expressed mRNAs in the transcriptome of males and …

The Effect Of Experienced Compassion At Work On Nursing Home Certified Nursing Assistants' Well-Being And Turnover Intentions, Kristin M. Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations

Statement of problem and objectives: Could experienced compassion at work alleviate nursing home certified nursing assistant (CNA) burnout? This study investigates whether experienced compassion at work predicts higher well-being (meaningfulness of work, psychological vitality, and resilience) for CNAs, and if well-being predicts lower turnover intentions.

Procedure followed: This is a prospective, observational, survey-based study with three timepoint data collection. Convenience sampling of Kansas and Virginia NHs was conducted (n=13). All CNAs working at the NHs were study eligible. CNAs received gift cards with laddered incentives for ongoing participation. There was in-person administration of a CNA survey at each timepoint. …

Drugging The Histone Acetyltransferase Ep300 Modulates Alternative Splicing At Schizophrenia Risk Genes, Shravani Malay

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose. We will evaluate the effects of drugging the epigenetic histone acetyltransferase (HAT) enzyme p300, encoded by the schizophrenia risk gene EP300, on genome-wide gene expression in neural cells. We hypothesize that drugging p300 will affect gene expression and alternative splicing of other schizophrenia risk genes. Our motivation is to identify potential new epigenetic treatment avenues for schizophrenia.

Methods. Prior to my joining the lab, an experiment was conducted using the novel p300 HAT inhibitor, A-485, to modulate genomic regulation in a neural cell line (SH-SY5Y). SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to 10μM of A-485 or vehicle (DMSO) for 24 …

Biophilia: Developing A Taste For Care, Che'leah Shannon

Theses and Dissertations

People in materially developed cultures spend over 90% of their lives in buildings (Evans & McCoy, 1998). Commencing with the industrial revolution these materially developed cultures see most of their populus moving from the countryside to the city in search of work and better lives. The city, an urban and modern development of densely packed peoples, buildings, and infrastructure, has developed as an efficient solution to meet the needs of a cosmopolis.

The city has developed widely without a necessity or place for nature. The ground outside is paved with concrete, efficient and comfortable for travel, buildings are built high …

In Shame I Will Find Paradise, Taehee Whang

Theses and Dissertations

As a Korean American non-binary digital artist and designer, my recent explorations have focused on using voice as a medium to articulate nuanced feelings of displacement and the intricate relationships between language, identity, and expression. This journey expands beyond my personal experiences with gender dysphoria, delving into the lives of non-binary and transgender individuals undergoing gender-affirming voice therapy. Through my thesis research, I have developed interactive multimedia installations inspired by dialogues with individuals such as Umico Niwa, who traveled to Korea for voice feminization surgery, and Jeong Yoon Lee from Hyperlink Press, a four-year participant in Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). …